Keith Emerson

British recording artist; keyboard player and composer (1944–2016)

Keith Noel Emerson (2 November 1944 – 10 March 2016) was an English keyboardist and composer. Emerson played in a number of bands before he found his first commercial success with P. P. Arnold's backing band the Nice in the late 1960s.

Keith Emerson
Emerson performing in Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2008
Emerson performing in Saint Petersburg, Russia, September 2008
Background information
Birth nameKeith Noel Emerson
Born(1944-11-02)2 November 1944
Todmorden, Yorkshire, England
Died11 March 2016(2016-03-11) (aged 71)
Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, composer, arranger, producer
InstrumentsKeyboards, synthesizer, piano
Years active1964–2016
LabelsEdel, Victor, Shout! Factory, Varèse Sarabande, Rhino, Manticore, J!MCO Records, Sanctuary, EMI, Marquee Inc., Charly, Gunslinger Records, Cinevox
Websitekeithemerson.com

Emerson was born in Todmorden, West Riding of Yorkshire. He was a founding member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) in 1970. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were successful through much of the 1970s. They became one of the best-known progressive rock groups of the era.[1]

Emerson committed suicide by shooting himself in the head at his Santa Monica, California home.[2] He was aged 71.[3]

Further reading change

  • Emerson, Keith (2003), Pictures of an Exhibitionist: From the Nice to Emerson, Lake and Palmer - The True Story of the Man Who Changed the Sound of Rock, John Blake, ISBN 1-84454-053-7
  • Forrester, George, Martyn Hanson and Frank Askew. Emerson, Lake & Palmer, The Show That Never Ends, A Musical Biography. (2001) Helter Skelter Publishing ISBN 1-900924-17-X.
  • Lupis, Giuseppe (May 2006). The Published Music of Keith Emerson: Expanding the Solo Piano Repertoire (D.M.A.). University of Georgia. OCLC 223323019. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  • Macan, Edward (2006), Endless Enigma: A Musical Biography of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Feedback Series in Contemporary Music, Vol. 4, Open Court, ISBN 978-0-8126-9596-0
  • Pethel, Blair (1988). Keith Emerson: The Emergence and Growth of Style: A Study of Selected Works (D.M.A.). Peabody Conservatory of Music. OCLC 37599731. Archived from the original on 2015-01-08. Retrieved 2017-01-16.

References change

  1. "VH1.com: Keith Emerson: Biography". Archived from the original on 12 July 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
  2. Nilsson, Anton. "British music star Keith Emerson dies aged 71 from reported suicide | Daily Mail Online". Dailymail.co.uk. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  3. Rawlinson, Kevin; agencies (2016-03-11). "Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer found dead aged 71". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-03-12.